Reerigerator latch



NOV. 9, 1943. w o BURKE 2,334,065

REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed June 5, 1940 3 cs-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 9, 1943. w. o. BURKE REFRIGERATOR LATCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June5, 1940 R E IQ; l:

Nov. 9, '1943. w. o. BURKE REFRIGERATOR LATCH Filed June 5, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATEurjoFFlcE William 0. Burke,Rockford, .1ll.,,.assigmr to. Na..- tionalfLock 00,, Rockford, 111., a.corporation of Delaware Application Junefi, 1940, Serial'No..-338,8 '7311 Claims. (crass-122x: 1

This invention relates in general to .door latches and is exemplified inthe present instance as embodied in a latch particularly adapted for useonrefrigerator doors. The principles of my invention, however, may beutilized in latchesof different designs adapted for a variety of uses.

One of the advantageous features of my latch, particularly when used asa refrigerator latch, resides in the fact'that when the door is closedthe latch will not only secure the door against accidental cpeningyasthe result of pressure on the inside of the door, but will alsotend todraw the door into a more snugly closed position so as to obviate airleakage past the sealing strip around the door. I

Where a single latch is employed on a refrigerator door, such latchusually, in order to be most effective, must be located approximatelymidway between the top and bottom of the door. This position of thelatch, however, locates the handle, if aligned with the-latch, toolowfor-convenient manipulation.

Another purpose of my present invention, therefore, is to provide alatch in which the op-' erating handle willbe located-considerably abovethe latch bolt and will-be of such length as to be conveniently operableeven should the user be carrying dishes or utensils in her hands.

Another'purpose is toprovide-alatch, the operating handle of which isuniversally mounted so that when pulled outwardly or moved laterally ineither direction, such, handle movement will release, the latch bolt andpermit the door to,

open.

Another purpose ,ofthe invention is tov provide,

a latch which will permit the latch bolt to be thrust inwardly uponengagement-with the strike in closing the door but without transmittingFig. 1 is a perspective :view of a refrigerator cabinet showing thelocationof my latch handle on the door thereof;

Fig. 2'is a vertical sectional view. on the'lin -2,.2of Figs. 1 and 3;

Eig. ,3:is,a sectional viewon the line of Fig. 2 with the latch boltinprojected position;

.Fig. 4' is afragmentary view showing the'aotuation of.t-herslidea-produced byzlateralmovement ofthehan le; i

li iggaisa View similar to. Fig. 3 showing. the slide as actuated; by anoutward {pull upon :the

handle;fi-= m Eig. 4631s a: sectional View of the latch the,boltinproiected position;

i Fig. .7 is 1a; similar-view sshowing the latzohzbolt inretractfidosltiom.' r 1 Fig. 8i isya- :view similar lid-Figs. 6 and: .illustratinga modified. form..qfailatch; and:

Fig-191s a'rsimil'ar: view of a further modification.

Referring to the drawings morein; detail, the refrigeratorcabinetillustratediin'; Fig. l is designated .by reference characterlet-,thevdoor thereof: by L2, andlthe exposed la-tch-,handle-.forojperating the :latch by referencecoharacter :13;

iTheohandle "is ilormed atrit's base :to provide a dished head having .acentral, inwardly vex? tending stud ,-.or';proje :tion zltiproviding :anannular curved shoulder l b ?seated for. universal movementiin a:socket. *I'BdOrmedIinan escutcheon plate l9.. This plateiisprovidedzwith a peripheral, inwardly-extending flange 12 l; adaptedlto.seat against the outer fa'ce' of. the-door .122 .and .with tapped'studs2-2., 23; and .24tuadapted to receive fastening screws 25- by which theescutcheon is fixedly-mounted on the door.

A- dished plate 26 overlying: the: socket carrying portion of theescutoheon serves. to close the space between the escutclieon and theihandle base fiangeand also overlies the-outer end of the socket 1'8 soas to'prevent'l the' spring-l'linterposed between this' plate and thehandle head from entering orbecomingcaught in the socket when the'handleis :tilted. This spring exerting an outward thrust onthe handle-headyieldinglyholds the head and-handle in the normal' position Iillustrated in-Fig. 2 and restores the handle to such normal positionafter eachactuation or manipulation thereof, 3 1

The handle head -projection -lli is provided with'a;*preferablyrectangular =bore adapted to receive the shank ili of a bar4%projctingiin opposite directions from the shank-at th'e inner end ofthe projection-1KI A=-locking piri3l extendingthrough-the projection H5--and the shank 28 rigidly connects -the bar with the handle head showinand contact of the :bar with the inner end :of

of" spring 21 normally tending rto "separate" them;

A channel-shaped housing 3'2 --is'-:providedat its The operating bar 29is disposed contiguous to the upper end wall3l of this slideand inproximity to a pair of studs 38 and 88 carried by the housing. The slideis slotted to accommodate these studs and permits its reciprocatorymovemerits. A coiled spring 4| disposed in a. slot 42 of the'slide andinterposed between the lower end of this slot and an upturned lug 43formed in the housing 32 urges the slide downwardly viewing Fig.v 3 toengage its 'end wall 81with' the bar 29.

An outwardpull exerted upon the'handle is will cause the handle head topivot inits socket l8, thereby moving the bar 29 upwardly carry ing withit the slide 35 into v.thepositlon illustrated in Fig. 5; Thecorresponding position of the handle is shown in, Fig. 6 in dotted linesindicated by A. Should the-handle be swung laterally, for instance, tothe right viewing Figs. I and 6, the bar 29 will be swung aboutits pointof contact with thestud '38, thereby causing the other end of the bar tomove the slide 55 upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4. Thismovement of the bar 28 is accompanied by a rise in elevation ofthe innerend portion of the shank 28 whichcauses the end of the handle to travelaway from the face of the door as it is moved laterally so that when theslide flhas been moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, the handle willassume the dotted line position indicated by B in Fig.6. 1 This rise .inelevation of the end of. the shank 28 will be apparent from:

a comparison of Figs. 3 and .4, the latter clearly showing the inner endof theshank raised relative to the stationary .studs 58 and.. Should thehandle be swung to the left instead of to the right, the stud 88 willserve as the fulcrum for lever'29, and the parts will assume thereverse,

position with the handle end disposed at the left of its normal positionand outwardlytherefrom.

' inner wall of the slide housing 32. Movement.

of the-bell crank lever by the slide from the normal position of Fig. 3to the .unlatching position of Figs. 4 or 5 will cause bell crank lever48 to be moved by lever 85 from the position indicated in Fig. 6 to thatshown in Fig. 7. v A

coiled spring 52 urges bellggcranklever .48 into.

the normal or latching position shown in Fig. 6. The arm 54 of bellcrank lever 48 is of channel shape comprising two side walls joined bythe channel bottom 55. l v

A link 55, is slidably connected to the longer end of the bell cranklever 48 by atransversely extending pin 58 extending through a slot'5lin the link.; The opposite end of the link v is pivoted at 59 to thehead 5| of an L-shaped latch member comprising the arm 62 pivoted at58between the walls of the housing 5| and a latch bolt 64. ,preferablyofBakelite or similar comof the head 5| and secured by rivets or the like58. The end 55 of the latch bolt is rounded to ride against the inclined,face 55 of the strike 61 and thereby force the latch bolt inwardly intothe casing against the force of spring 58 when th door is swung toclosed position, The bolding face 69 of the latch bolt is inclined orundercut to cooperate with the inclinedface ll of the strike socket soas to securely hold the door against accidental opening. A boltescutcheon i2 surrounds the opening in the casing 5| through which thelatch bolt projects.

The side walls of the latch mechanism housing 5| are provided at. theirends adjacent the latch boltwith laterally projecting flanges 18, theouter ends of which are bent at right angles to provide flanges 14.These flanges are secured by bolts or screws to the frame 15 o! thedoorthereby, together with the fastening for the slide housing 82,securely and rigidly attaching the entire assembly to the door on which"it is mounted. s

A latchmounted in the manner disclosed is located onthe doorthat thelatchbolt is disposed i substantially midway between the top; and bottomof the door, and the handle which is mountedsome distance above thelatch boltextends'upwardly from its mounting to be disposed in aconveniently accessible position to the user. When it is, desired toopenthe door, the handle is manipulated either by pulling outwardly vupon itor by pushing orpullingthe same laterally in either direction. The knob15, with which the upper end of the handle iszequipped, isshown in itsnormal position in Fig. 6 in. full lines, and in two operative positionsin dotted lines. .When moved from normal to any of the operativepositions, the bar 25 moves the slide longitudinally in the mannerpreviously described from the position shown in Fig. 3 to thatgshown inFigs. 4 and 5, and swinging bell crank lever ,45 from. the positionshown in Fig, 3 to that shown in Fig. v5, thereby swinging bell cranklever 48 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7. Thismovement of bell crank lever 48 retracts the latch bolt, 54 from lockingposition.

illustrated in Fig. .6, to the released position, shown in Fig, 7,thereby permitting the door to swing open When handle I3 is released.the

parts are all respectively restored to their normal position by thesprings 21, 4| and 52.

When't-he door is swung to closed position,zthe

curved face 55 of latch bolt 54 rides over the inclined face 55 of thestrike, thereby swinging the latch bolt about its pivot 63 in aclockwise direction viewing Fig. 6 against the force of spring 58. Thebell crank lever 48 and all of the connections betweenit and the handleI8 remain stationary during this inward movement of the faces 59 and IIof the latch bolt and tlie strike recess, respectively, are inclinedwith'respeot' to the opposed faces ofthe'door and lamb and'that thelatch bolt travels in an' are about the pivot point so that the fartherthe latch'boit is projected into the strikerecess by the spring 58 thepo ition, fixe ly mounted between the sidewalls tighter the door will bepulled against the lamb.

Any slight movement of. the door. as. the result of: jarring orxas. theresultofi pressure upon either the inside or outside of. UhE'zdOOI'IWlHtends to cause the bolt to :be projected st'ill farther; into thestrike.recesstor force the door: into more snug relation with. its jambeandthereby insure against air leakage around the door. 1

In Fig. .8 I have illustrated a; modified; iormof latch particularlyadapted foruse with. refri erator doors which; overlie the front:edges-of: the cabinet side walls and: provide a door opening equalainwidth. tothe distance between .the side walls. "Onthis figure; m'indicatesaone oi side walls .of a refrigerator cabinet, the. shell.only being shown with. the insulation. between the shell innerandouter'wallsbmitted. "The front face: of this wall is equipped with astrike base '13- .upon which astrike .Tljsaads'ustably mounted and .heldin adjusted position by'one. or more screws .75.

'llhe door indicated generally by reference character 16 is providedwith aicup-shaped element ll adaptedto receive .the strike. The latchbolt 1-8 is'pivotallysupported. at Hand connected by a link 8| with arocker; .a-rmx82. pivoted. at 83 between the side Walls oi the latchmechanism housing 8.4. A. plunger .85 operable by a pivoted handle orother operating. mechanism (not shown) is adaptedtoswingthe rocker in aclockwise direction to withdraw the latch bolt "from engagement with thestrike. .It will be observed that in this instance .the link at :is.directly pivoted at ca m the :latchbolt and at 851. to the rocker 82without any lost motion. connection. The

latch. bolt is urged into the projected latching position shown on thedrawing by an expansion spring 88 interposed between. the head .89 of alink-9! and .a stationary pin. 92xextending through a slot 93 of thelink 9|. Upon retractionoi the latch bolt either by actuation -.of therocker .82, or by engagementuof the bolt with the cam surfacezof thestrike 14' upon closing the door, the link 9.! slides upon the pin. 92'permitting the spring 88. to be compressed. The normal position of the.parts with the latch bolt projected is shown on thedrawing.

Fig. *9 illustratesanother modification of structure in which the strikebase 94 extends into the side wall of the cabinet and carries anadjustable strike 95 adapted to enter "a cup-shaped member 96 when thedoor is in closed position. as illustrated. 'In this instance, the bolt91 is pivoted at 98 and connected by a link 8 9 with the bell crankmember HH through the intermediary of a pin W2 and asl'ot 103 in thelink. An expansion spring N14 is interposed between the pin Hi2 and thehead of the link. 3

The bell crank member "NH is 'fulcrumed at 185 and carries a roller I06interposed in the path of a second bell crank lB'l fulcrumed at A88 andpositioned in the path of a reciprocatory plunger :09 which may beprojected inwardly by manipulation of any suitably mounted handle. orother operating device (not shown).

In this instance, actuation of thejbell .crank I 0! willrock bellcrank-[0| in a counterclockwise direction similarly to the operation ofbell crank 48 previously explained in connection with Figs. 6 and 7. Itwill be noted also that the latch bolt in Figs. 8 and 9 is, in eachinstance, pivotally mounted to swing in an arc and is so shaped that anydisturbance of the door will cause the latch bolt under the influence ofits projecting spring to draw the door more closely into sealing.engagement with, the opposedcabinet.

The structural detailaillustrated and described may obviously be;varied. within considerable limits without;exceedingothe. scope :ofthe.invention. asidefined in the following-claims.

.1. In. a. refrigerator-latch. the combination.ofanielongatedzslideyhousing ladaptcdtozbe. mountedin vertical positionupon. theiinner. race of. a door walk. a reciprocatory sli e memberisposed. within. saidyhousing, a-;.handle. adapted .to be;.disnosedsunonlthe outeriacc of. the door and providedwith. a proection. extending throu h the door; wall. into said housin a socket fixeto the door. wall and in which; said projection is mounted foruniversaltmovement, an, arm. carried' by: said projection in; operativerelation to said slide, a latch mechanism housing carried by said slidehousing near the lower end thereof and :remoteinom s id. operating arm,a l cnankleveroperable by" said :slide, a latch bolt pivotally mountedin said; latch, mechanism housing. a. spring normally urging said latchbolt. into projected. position, and mechanism interposed between saidlatch bolt and said; bellycrank lever whereby said. latch boltv is:retracted upon manipulation; of, :said handle.v

2.. I-n-ia refrigerator latch; mechanism, the com.- binationof asocketadapted tobemountedupon a, door wall, :a. handle havin a head p vi ewith. a projection mounted for universal movement within-said. (socket.and. extending, therethrough, an arm carried by said projection, aspring for yieldingly retaining. said: handle in normal position, .a.slide housing adapted ,to :be mounted upontheinside of the doorwalL:areoiprocatory slide mounted said housing with the upper end thereof, incooperative relation with said arm, a. bell crank lever connected withthe slower endiof said slide, a latch mechanism housing projecting fromsaid. slide 'housing in proximity to said bell crank lever, a latch boltpivotally mountedLi-n said latch mechanism housing, a spring urging.said latch :bolt into projected position, and mechanism. between. saidlatch bolt andsaidzbell. crank lever whereby said latch bolt isretracted upon. manipulation of saidhandle.

3. In a latch mechanism, the combination of a housingadapted to bemounted upon the inner face of a door wall, :a :pivotally mounted latchbolt mountedxwithin said housing,- av spring for projecting :the holdingend of said latch bolt outwardly of .said housinginto cooperativerelation with a strike to latch the d'OOI'xiD. closed position, a bellcrank lever in said housing, a link connecting said bolt with saidlever, a second zbell crank lever mounted to operate said first lever,aslide connected .tofisaid asecond' lever to operate the same, an armlforactuating said slide, and ahandle carrying said arm, said handlebeing mounted for rotative and tilting movements :to retract said :latchbolt through the cooperative action of said slide, bell cranklevers andlink.

4. In a latch mechanism, the combination of a slide housing adapted tobe mounted on a door, a latch mechanism housing secured to said slidehousing, latch mechanism within said housing comprising a pivotallymounted latch bolt, a bell crank lever, a link connecting said bolt andlever and a spring for projecting said bolt, 2. reciprocatory slide insaid slide housing, a bell crank lever operable thereby to actuate saidfirst wall; of;

mentioned bell crank lev'er, an arm for actuating said slide, and auniversally mounted handle to which said arm is connected.

5.' In a latch mechanism, thecombination of a statlonarily mountedsemispherical socket, a handle provided with a projection extendingthrough an opening in said socket and having a semisphericalshoulderseated in the socket so as to permit universal movement of thehandle, anoperating arm carried by said projectioma slide operable by said armupon either rotating or tilting movement of thehandle, fixed tulcrummeans engageable byan-end of said operating arm constraining saidarm andits projection to move about said fulcrum upon rotation of said handle,the opening in the socket through which the projection extends beingenlarged at one portion thereof to permit movement of the projectiontherein laterally when said handle is eitherlrotated or tilted, a bellcrank lever connected to said slide to be operated thereby, a secondbell crank lever mounted to be operated by said'first bell crank lever,a pivotally mounted latch bolt,

a link connecting said'bolt with said second bell crank lever, and aspring for yieldably projecting said latch bolt. r

' 6. In a latch mechanism, the combination of a dished socket adapted tobe mounted upon a door, a handle provided withan extension projectingloosely through an opening in, the socket and including an arcuateshoulderlseated in said socket for universal movement so as to permituniversal movement of the handle relatively to the socket, an operatingarm carried by the projection, a fixed fulcrum memberlocated at a pointnear one end of said operating arm,a reciprocatory slide, a spring formaintaining saidslide in proximity to said arm, a bolt, and meansincluding a bell crank lever for transmitting movement from said slideto said bolt, said arm being movable in an are about the center of thesocket upon tilting movement of the handle and being rotatable aboutsaid fixed fulcrum point near said one end of said operating arm uponrotative movement of said handle, to actuate said slide.

'7. In a latch mechanism, the combination of a bolt, a longitudinallymovable slide, means disposed between said slide and bolt for actuatingsaid bolt upon longitudinal movement of said slide, a socket adapted tobe mounted on a door, a handle provided with a projection extendingthrough said socket and including a shoulder seated in said socket so asto permit universal movement of said handle, a pair of fixed studsmounted in spaced relation, and an armmounted intermediate its ends onthe inner end of said projection between said slide and said studswhereby. the slide is actuated by both tilting and rotating movements ofsaid handle in the socket.

8... In a latch mechanism, the combination of a bolt, alongitudinallymovable slide, connections through which said bolt .isactuated upon movement of the slide, a supporting structure including aparti-spherical socket, the walls 01 the socket being formed'to providea'hollow extension projecting from the bottom of the socket, a

handle having a parti-spherical portion seated in said socket and aprojection into said socket extension, a pairoif stationary studs, andan oper-' ating bar mounted :on said handle projection and positionedbetweena portion of. the slide and said studs whereby movement of thehandle in having an opening ltherethrough a handle provided with aprojection extending through said opening and having a parti-spherical'portion seated in saidisocket, a fixed stud carried by said housing andoilset from the axis of said projection, and an operating member carriedby said studs, a handle having a projection extending through saidsocket and provided with a partispherical seating portion seated in saidsocket, an operating bar mounted intermediate its ends on i said handleprojection, said bar being positioned between a portion of said slideand said studs, and a spring interposed between said supportingstructure and said handle torrestoring the handle to normal position.

11. A latch operating means comprising a supporting structure, saidsupporting structure having a parti-spherical socket and-ashank-receiving opening communicating with said socket, a slidesupportedfor rectilinear sliding movement on said supporting structure and havinglaterally extending flange means at one end thereof, said flange meansbeing disposed to one. side of the axis of, said shankrreceivingopening, a spring disposedupon the opposite side of the axisoi' saidshank-receiving opening arranged 10.1101, mally urge said flange meansin a dir'ectiontm ward said axis, a handlehaving a parti-spherical.

an, operating arm secured to the inner end of said shank and havingslide engaging portions arranged to engage said flange means on the sidethereof nearest the axis of said shank-receiving opening, wherebysaidslide is operated to efiect movement of said flange means in a directionfarther away from the axis of said shank-receiw' ing opening against theresistance offered by said spring upon either a rotary or tiltingmovement of said handle.

' WILLIAM O. BURKE.

